Capture the Flag
by kokonut518
Summary: The demigods of Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter decide to have a friendly match of capture the flag. Who will prevail? One-shot :)


**A/N: This idea just popped into my head so I decided to write this one-shot. It's really cliche I know.**

 **There's a poll on my profile. Go vote for your favourite Argo II crew member**

 **Enjoy this story! :)**

 **Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Rick Riordan**

* * *

"You're always welcome here," Chiron said to the Romans. The war against Gaea had ended, and the Twelfth Legion was getting ready to head back to Camp Jupiter. All the demigods of Camp Half-Blood had assembled at the top of Half-Blood Hill to see them off.

"Wait up!" Clarisse LaRue burst from the crowd. "How about a game of capture the flag before you go, Camp Half-Blood versus Camp Jupiter?"

Camp Half-Blood erupted in cheers, but the Romans looked confused.

"What's capture the flag?" Reyna wanted to know. "Is it a war game?"

"Sort of," Percy grinned, "but not as competitive. You don't get any badges or honours if you win. It's just a fun game we play."

Reyna looked at her legion. They all looked eager for a chance to prove themselves to Camp Half-Blood. She knew that the Romans would never turn down a challenge, especially if it involved beating the Greeks.

"All right then, we'll play," Reyna announced with a faint smile, "but you'll have to explain the rules and everything."

As soon as she said that, Annabeth appeared. Ever the architect, she had drawn a detailed map of the forest, and immediately launched into explaining the rules, boundaries and other nitty gritty details of the game. Pretty soon, she had successfully confused everyone and the Romans still had no clue as to how the game worked.

Clarisse couldn't take it anymore. "Basically, each team has a flag. You have to try and get the other team's flag while protecting your flag from the other team. The lake is the boundary line. Got it?"

That cleared it up. All of Camp Jupiter were nodding. Annabeth blushed, embarrassed that she hadn't thought of explaining it that way. Curse her architect's brain, always overcomplicating things.

"You have twenty minutes to sort out strategies and hide your flag." Chiron barely finished talking before all the campers rushed into the forest, yelling excitedly.

* * *

Annabeth started organising the battle plan immediately, "Hermes, defend our side of the lake, don't let anyone get past. Apollo and Hephaestus, stand a bit further back as the second line of defence. Demeter and Aphrodite defend our base. The rest of you, attack with me and Percy."

The demigods nodded and began putting on armour and getting into position.

* * *

At the Camp Jupiter base, Reyna and Frank were also organising formations. "First and Second Cohorts defend base. Third Cohort, guard the borders. Fourth and Fifth, attack."

Jason decided to warn the Romans, "The Greeks make look disorganised, but they are sneaky and they'll have some tricks up their sleeves. Be careful."

Frank sighed with admiration. Jason was a born leader. He hoped that he could become at least half the praetor that Jason was.

* * *

Far away, Chiron blew the conch horn, and the game began.

"Percy, take half the attackers and sneak around the left. I'll take the right." Annabeth whispered

Percy nodded and started scouting a path around the Roman defenders. The attackers followed soundlessly. They had crossed the lake and were making good progress when a loud SNAP echoed through the woods. Leo had stepped on a stick.

"Sorry!" He whispered, a little too loudly.

Immediately, Percy could feel the eyes of the Roman demigods scanning the trees for the source of the noise. He realised that the sneaking plan was busted, and that they should just sprint for the Camp Jupiter base like their lives depended on it. He said as much to the rest of his team.

But as soon as they started running, a bunch of Romans appeared out of nowhere. The Greeks were surrounded. The Camp Jupiter demigods began to advance, but suddenly a huge wave appeared and slammed into them.

"Good one," Leo grinned at Percy, "now watch me!"

Leo reached into his pocket and fished out a metal ball. Everyone was confused, except for Percy.

"Not those things again, Leo! Please!"

"Don't worry," Leo assured Percy, "I've tweaked it a bit and it probably won't explode."

"Wait… explode?!" The Greeks and Romans both looked worried.

Leo didn't say anything before chucking the Archimedes Sphere right into the middle of the Roman legions. Black smoke billowed out, obstructing everyone's view.

"Run!" Percy commanded, and the Greek demigods sprinted as fast as they could in the general direction of the Camp Jupiter base.

* * *

The Romans had decided to march right to the Camp Half-Blood base in plain sight. Annabeth took that as an insult of the Greek demigods' Romans broke right through the first line of defence, overpowering the Hermes cabin with sheer numbers. The Apollo archers, however, slowed the Romans' progress. They had tipped their arrowheads with black smoke (courtesy of Leo Valdez), and the Romans were left to stumble around, bumping into each other while the Greeks laughed their heads off.

"The exit's this way!" Will Solace teased between fits of hysterical laughter.

Eventually, though, a significantly smaller group of Roman demigods made it through the smoke, and rushed towards the Camp Half-Blood base.

* * *

Percy's attack team had made it to the Camp Jupiter base, only to find it surrounded by two cohorts of Roman demigods. Percy hadn't expected that many Romans at their base, but his only plan was:

"Attack!"

The Greeks charged to the Roman base and fought as if it was the end of the world. Although they were hugely outnumbered, the Greek demigods managed to keep the Romans busy. Part of their problem was Leo, who had engulfed himself in flames and was generally causing mass panic. Even so, the Greeks began to tire and were in danger of being overwhelmed.

* * *

The Romans had made it to Camp Half-Blood's base. The Aphrodite and Demeter cabins were trying their hardest to fend off the Romans, but they couldn't hold them back for much longer. Reyna, who was leading the cohorts, made it to the flag and picked it up, ready to dash back to Camp Jupiter's base.

"Put it down!" Piper McLean's voice rang out, loud and clear.

The charmspeak flowed into the minds of all the demigods and Greeks and Romans alike dropped their weapons. Reyna, however, hesitated. Piper knew that it would be hard, if not impossible, to get Reyna to succumb to charmspeak.

"Put it down, Reyna!" Piper tried again, this time joined by another voice; Drew Tanaka.

The force of two charmspeakers almost made Reyna give in. She knew she had to get back to her base, before the Greeks captured their flag…

* * *

Percy and the others were doing a great job of keeping the Romans occupied, which made it easy for Annabeth's attack team to simply swoop in and grab the flag. Unlike Percy, Annabeth had managed to sneak her attack team all the way to the Roman base without being noticed. After she got the flag, it was a simple matter of sprinting as fast as she could back to the Greek base.

Cheers erupted around the Camp Half-Blood base. Annabeth had arrived, flag in hand.

* * *

"And victory goes to Camp Half-Blood," Chiron announced.

"Good game, all of you," Percy smiled at the Romans. "I guess that proves that the Greeks are better!"

"Hey! Not fair!" Reyna protested. "You only won because you used tricks and gadgets and stuff!"

"You can't blame me for being a genius!" Leo pouted and pretended to look offended.

"Until next time, then," Frank said to the Greeks. "We'll be working on a strategy to beat you once and for all next time we play.

"You're on!" The reply was a tidal wave of noise from all the demigods of Camp Half-Blood.

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed that awfully cliche story! Please leave a review. Constructive feedback is much appreciated.**


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